Christian Science Monitor: “Spam, the legendary canned meat whose very name invokes delight in some and queasiness in many more, turns 75 this month. The product’s parent company, Hormel Foods Corp., is celebrating with what it calls a ‘Spamtastic’ birthday bash at the Spam manufacturing plant in Austin.” Austin Daily Herald: “Spam, which turns 75 on Thursday, has been a Hormel staple for three quarters of a century.”

Beer-drinking, Gopher-cheering fans can do both at TCF Stadium this fall

MPR News: “It’s official. Gophers fans can drink beer — and maybe a little wine — in TCF Bank Stadium when the University of Minnesota’s football season starts this fall.”

Minnesota Atheists are sponsoring a game of the St. Paul Saints in August. “Our banners will hang in the stadium and we will rename the team the ‘Mr. Paul Aints.’ The team will wear Mr. Paul Aints jerseys during the game,” according to the group’s Meetup page.

Drug-training cop could face charges

Star Tribune: “Occupy protesters in Minneapolis had alleged that police officers supplied them with marijuana.”

Two Harbors foster parents lose license after spanking

Duluth News Tribune: “A Two Harbors couple’s child foster care license was revoked because the foster mother spanked a foster child in violation of state rules, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services.”

Eagan day care provider faces charges in death of child

KARE11: “A 64-year-old Eagan day care provider faces multiple charges in connection to the death a child in her care in August 2011.”

St. Paul: Council asks Backpage site to drop adult classifieds

Pioneer Press: “The St. Paul City Council has passed a resolution calling on Village Voice Media, owners of the classified ad site Backpage.com, to discontinue the adult section of their online classifieds ‘because it serves as a platform to traffic minors for sex.'”

Quist woos conservative voters in Rochester

Rochester Post Bulletin: “With just over a month until the primary election, Republican 1st District candidate Allen Quist worked to woo Rochester conservative voters Wednesday by pledging to slash government spending to balance the nation’s budget.”

GOP lawmaker: TSA ‘in violation’ of accelerated military screening law

The Hill: “Freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) said Wednesday that the Transportation Security Administration is violating a new law to accelerate airport screening of military personnel.”

Being suitable lifts Pawlenty stock in veep hunt

AP: “He’s not a Sarah Palin. He’s a Joe Biden type of pick,” said Gary Marx, executive director of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, describing Pawlenty as “appealing and acceptable to all branches of the conservative base and the Republican Party as a whole.”